In my earlier years as a technician, I was known as the kid with the fire in his belly. Later in my career within the shop, I became known as an information specialist (or a “nerd”). But now, I spend less time in the shop and more time assisting the men and women of our industry, to better themselves. They call me a teacher, but I don’t look at it this way at all.
With my years in the field and many hours of my free time invested in improving my performance, I gained an edge over many of my peers. Did this make me a talented technician? I don’t believe so. I feel if I was talented, the information I obtained in class would be sufficient without requiring practice. I wasn’t talented, I was hard-working. I was committed to becoming a more knowledgeable and proficient technician.
But here is what I discovered for myself. As I began to absorb what was taught in class or read in a book, I began to reorganize those thoughts and images, so they made sense in my mind. The pleasant surprise was that I no longer found myself memorizing material/testing techniques or facts about physics (Ohm’s Law, Faraday’s Law, etc.). These concepts became commonplace for me and second nature. This made me far more efficient in the work bay, where it truly counts.
But truthfully, I found something even more valuable in the discovery I made above. I found out I was a pretty decent instructor. Was I smarter than any of the other instructors? Absolutely not, I'm no smarter than any of you reading this. I simply learned how to learn, how to understand at a level that I can explain my perspective.
Think of it like this…if I can accurately and efficiently perform a task of any kind, and it doesn’t require any special physical ability (like muscle strength or endurance). Doesn’t it make sense that if I were to demonstrate each step of that task (in a fashion that makes sense to the spectator), he or she should be able to repeat the task with the same ease (after a little practice)? This is my view on “teaching.”
I don't view myself as a teacher. I simply demonstrate the correct operation of the appropriate tools, and the proper testing techniques that served me well. The difference is it took me years to acquire the skillset and weed out all the setbacks. Once I was able to only demonstrate the correct application of these tools and techniques, they are quite easily passed along to someone else. However, they won't encounter the same setbacks; nor will it take them the same 23 years it took me. It's the essence of growth and technology. We must pass the torch.
There is a mentor in all of us. Organize your thoughts and keep only what has worked for you within your tenure of whatever skill you are wanting to demonstrate. Polish the technique and pass it along to others. In a world lacking qualified technicians, the ability to grow our own is ever more important.
